This invention relates generally to devices for mounting antennas, and more specifically relates to a device for mounting an antenna on to a motive vehicle. Still more specifically, the invention relates to a device for mounting an antenna on to various objects and including means to enable the antenna to be moved out of the way of obstructions.
Recently, citizen band (CB) mobile radios are being used extensively throughout the country on passenger cars and trucks, for verbal communications within prescribed small areas. The antenna in a CB system is generally four feet long and attached to a motor vehicle with an antenna mount.
For some of the previously used antenna mounts, holes were drilled into the body of the vehicle, and then the mount was secured with suitable screws and nuts. Other antenna mounts were clamped to the vehicle, and had the advantage of not requiring holes to be made in the vehicle frame. These antenna mounts, for example, were clamped to the lip of a car trunk lid, and the corresponding antenna was positioned normal or perpendicular to the adjacent mounting surface. For the trunk lid having a substantially horizontal surface, the antenna extended in the vertical optimum direction, but for an inclined trunk lid the antenna would also be extending on an incline, which frequently did not provide adequate antenna performance. Also, on many of the late model autos it is sometimes difficult to find a suitable horizontal mounting surface, and consequently the use of such antenna mounts resulted in the antenna extending in an inclined and generally non-optimum direction.
Moreover, with either the aforesaid clamp or screw type antenna mount, the antenna would frequently contact or strike over head obstructions, such as garage doors or small dimensioned tunnels or entranceways leading into loading areas etc., and sometimes would result in permanent damage to the antenna. To avoid this, the antenna was physically removed from the vehicle which was time consuming even for the clamped type antenna mounts, or some antennas were provided with sliding connections for telescoping the antenna segments into a smaller vertical configuration. However, the sliding connections often became corroded and thus formed an electrical insulating barrier, the result of which appreciably reduced antenna performance, and sometimes completely disabled the antenna.
Furthermore, several different types of antenna mounts were required to provide attachment for the variety of different vehicle configurations. Thus, one type of antenna mount was used for attachment to a lip of a car trunk, and another type of antenna mount for a circular bar such, as the a luggage rack or rear view mirror, etc..
Therefore, a primary object of the subject invention is to provide an antenna mount for positioning the antenna in the optimum direction independent of the surface on which the antenna mount is secured.
Another primary object is to provide a movable antenna mount having stationary electrical connections, for transferring electrical signals between the antenna and a receiver or transmitter.
Another primary object of the invention is to provide an antenna mount which may be easily and conveniently pivoted out of the way of an obstruction, for preventing contact therewith.
Another object is to provide an antenna mount, for varying the fixed position of the antenna for optimizing the electrical performance of the antenna.
Another object is to provide an antenna mount capable of being mounted on a plurality of different configurations, such as a planar edge or a cylindrical or rectangular form etc..
Another object of the invention is to provide an antenna mount which can be attached to either a lip of an appendage of a vehicle or to a tubular appendage of a vehicle.